A Democrat unnerved

John McCain’s latest ad does an excellent job not only of presenting the man but, at least as I view it, of drawing an implicit contrast with his probable opponent:

What must a president believe about us? About America?
That she is worth protecting?
That liberty is priceless?
Our people, honorable?
Our future, prosperous, remarkable and free?
And, what must we believe about that president?
What does he think?
Where has he been?
Has he walked the walk?

Here’s the ad:

You can tell the ad hits home because Howard Dean is complaining. In fact, as Red State notes, Dean has called McCain a “blatant opportunist” for pointing to his record of military service and heroism. Says Dean:

While we honor McCain’s military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn’t understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.

It’s pretty clear that the Dems don’t know how to deal with McCain. Here’s a hint — name calling isn’t the way to go.